By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The African National Congress (ANC) secretary general Fikile Mbalula received a warm welcome from delegates upon his arrival at the 27th ANCYL National Congress.
This comes after he was booed during their national general council (NGC) in Kimberley, Northern Cape in September 2025.
Mbalula pointed a finger at his ally and head of organizing Mduduzi Manana, accusing him of orchestrating the edifying spectacles to embarrass him after he stripped him of the powers he arrogated himself to audit the branches of the ANC.
Mbalula, addressed the conference before delegates dispersed to their different provinces.
He told the delegates that the ANCYL had matured and grown, as it had been able to hold a congress without the mother body’s intervention.
“You are now a fully-fledged organ of the African National Congress, so I want to thank you on behalf of the National Executive Committee (NEC) for leading from the front, for making us proud. Let us now occupy the trenches of mobilising young people around their issues.”
He said the ANCYL must ensure that it becomes the “super voice” of young people in the country.
The League must set the agenda on youth-specific issues: the crisis of unemployment, skills revolution, quality education, land access, and climate justice.
Mbalula congratulated newly elected leadership, warned them that they have not won titles, they have inherited a massive responsibility.
“For those who will not make it to the NEC of the ANCYL we are waiting for you in the ANC; come home and lead the African National Congress,” he said.
The conference, which took place from December 14, was held earlier than scheduled.
In August, the ANCYL national general congress in the Northern Cape resolved that the national executive committee (NEC) should convene an early conference, as many members were approaching or had exceeded the age limit of 35.
Despite the widespread perception of a pre-determined outcome, reports indicated that its president Collen Malatji and his slate were expected to make a clean sweep precisely because no one had formally challenged him for the presidency.
However, prior to the conference, Malatji had publicly stated his commitment to internal democracy.
The conference was also addressed by ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa on Monday, who called on the young people of the ANCYL to aggressively mobilise the country’s youth behind the ANC in next year’s local government elections.